BALTIMORE ORIOLES NOTES:
TAKE TWO: The Orioles and Tigers will play a split doubleheader today after last night’s game was postponed due to inclement weather…Marks the first doubleheader for the O’s since they split against the Blue Jays at Oriole Park on October 5, 2022, the season’s final day…Last night was the second postponement of the year for Baltimore, along with their originally scheduled Home Opener on April 6 vs. New York-AL (inclement weather forecast).
THE COMEBACK KIDS: The Orioles rallied for five runs in the seventh inning and beat the Tigers, 7-4, in the series opener Thursday night at Comerica Park…Cedric Mullins hit a game-tying triple and scored the go-ahead run on an Adley Rutschman sacrifice fly…Joey Ortiz made his MLB debut, starting at second base and batting ninth, and went 1-for-3 with three RBI.
Marked the ninth comeback victory of the season, tied with Boston for the most in the majors.
Ortiz is the second player in O’s history (since 1954) to drive in three runs in his MLB debut, joining Don Baylor on September 18, 1970 vs. Cleveland; Baylor needed extra innings to drive in his third run, a walk-off single in the 11th inning.
The 15 left on base by the Tigers are the most against Orioles pitching since May 20, 2021 vs. Tampa Bay (16) and the most left on base in a Baltimore victory since July 16, 2000 vs. Florida (15).
The Birds walked 10 batters, the most since June 28, 2021 vs. Houston (10).
Rutschman recorded his fifth game-winning RBI of the season, tied with Tampa Bay’s Randy Arozarena for the most in MLB.
WHAT’S TRENDING: The O’s have won nine of their last 10 games, 11 of their last 13, and 13 of their last 16…The 17-8 record is tied for the second-best start to begin a season in team history (since 1954), done in 1966, 1969, 1970, 1992, and 2005, and trailing only the 18-7 start in 1997…A win in the first game of today’s doubleheader would tie the best 26-game start (18-8) in Orioles history, accomplished in 1969, 1970, and 1997.
Baltimore owns the second-best record in the AL, trailing only Tampa Bay (22- 5); the O’s .680 winning percentage is the third-best in MLB behind Tampa Bay (.815) and Pittsburgh (.692).
Last season, the Birds didn’t reach 17 wins until the 42nd game on (May 22.
The 16 wins this month tie the most in April in team history (since 1954), joining 1969, 1997, 2005, and 2008; the O’s won 17 games in August last season, the first time the Orioles won 17 games in a month since August of 2017 (17).
AGAINST THE TIGERS: Baltimore and Detroit wrap up the season series with a doubleheader today and the series finale tomorrow at Comerica Park…The Orioles have won all four games against the Tigers this season and five overall dating back to last year, the longest winning streak against Detroit since the 2004 club swept the six-game season series…The Birds went 1-5 against Detroit in 2022, including being swept in three games in Motown from May 13-15 while going 1-2 in Baltimore from September 19-21.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN: The Orioles are in the midst of an 11-day, 10-game road trip, their longest of the season, which began Thursday night in Detroit…The team plays three more games against the Tigers and have an off day on May 1 before three games at Kansas City from May 2-4 and three games at Atlanta from May 5-7.
ON THE ATTACK: Baltimore is batting .254/.335/.420 (209-for-824) with 44 doubles, three triples, 29 home runs, 132 runs scored, 128 RBI, and 100 walks to start the season… The O’s rank fifth in the AL and tied for eighth in MLB in runs scored after finishing 10th in the AL and 20th in MLB with 674 runs scored in 2022…The Birds rank among AL teams in walks (1st), OPS (T-3rd, .755), batting average (4th), on-base percentage (4th), slugging percentage (4th).
The Orioles lead the AL and rank fourth in MLB with 4.03 pitches per plate appearance; the O’s have four players in the top 13 in the AL in pitches per plate appearance: Adley Rutschman (6th, 4.27), Anthony Santander (10th, 4.21), Adam Frazier (11th, 4.20), and Gunnar Henderson (13th, 4.19).
WHAT A RELIEF: The Baltimore bullpen has a 1.28 ERA (7 ER/49.1 IP) in the last 13 games since April 13…For the season, O’s relievers own a 2.74 ERA (30 ER/98.2 IP), the third-best mark in MLB…The Orioles ‘pen has pitched to a 2.85 ERA (15 ER/47.1 IP) away from Oriole Park this season after working to a 3.72 (120 ER/290.2 IP) on the road in 2022.
CEDRIC THE ENTERTAINER: Cedric Mullins is batting .362/.483/.574 (17-for-47) with three doubles, two triples, one homer, six runs scored, 13 RBI, 11 walks, and five stolen bases in the last 14 games since April 12…During that time, he ranks among MLB leaders in on-base percentage (2nd), batting average (7th), OPS (8th), and walks (T-9th)… He entered this stretch slashing .163/.250/.326 (7-for-43) with one double, two home runs, seven runs scored, eight RBI, five walks, and five stolen bases in the first 11 games of the season.
He leads the O’s with 21 RBI; of those 21, 17 have been driven in from the leadoff spot, second-most in MLB behind Texas’ Marcus Semien, and 20 have come as the center fielder, most in MLB; Mullins did not drive in his 21st run last year until his 57th game (54GS) on June 9.
THE CANO SHOW: Yennier Cano set down the first four batters he faced on Wednesday to tie the team record (since 1954) with 24 consecutive batters retired to start a season, joining Fred Holdsworth who set the record from July 17-24, 1976…The stretch ended on a Justin Turner hit-by-pitch with two outs in the eighth inning…Cano’s 25 hitless at-bats to begin a season are also tied for the most to begin a season in O’s history with Todd Frohwirth (1991) and Steve Barber (1967)…The last MLB pitchers with 25-or-more hitless at-bats to open a season were Tampa Bay’s Jason Adam and San Diego’s Sean Manaea (both 28) in 2022…Milwaukee’s Josh Hader did not allow a hit in his first 35 at-bats to begin the 2020 season.
NEED FOR SPEED: The O’s have 29 stolen bases, third in MLB behind the Pirates (37 SB) and Guardians (33 SB)…After going six games in a row without a stolen base, the team has four in the last two games…The O’s have only been caught stealing four times for an 87.9 percent success rate…Thursday night, Jorge Mateo swiped two bases for the third time this season…Mateo and Cedric Mullins are tied with three others for fourth in MLB with 10 stolen bases this…Mateo and Mullins 20 combined steals are more than 20 MLB teams, with four of those squads having 10-or-fewer stolen bases.
Mullins and Oakland’s Esteury Ruiz are the only MLB players with double-digit steals without being caught; Mullins’ 10 successful stolen bases are the most to begin a season by an Oriole since Brian Roberts and Corey Patterson, who each swiped their first 13 attempts, an O’s record to start a campaign, in 2006.
STARTING PITCHER – #64 DEAN KREMER RHP
2-0, 6.20 ERA
QUICK HITS: Scheduled to make his sixth start of the season, third away, and first against the Tigers today…Made a career-high 22 appearances (21 GS) in 2022, 11 appearances at home (10 GS), and 11 on the road…Owned an 8-7 record with a 3.23 ERA (45 ER/125.1 IP) and 87 strikeouts…Made six starts of 5.0-ormore scoreless innings, tied for seventh-most in the AL…Acquired by the Orioles along with 2B Breyvic Valera, RF Yusniel Díaz, RHP Zach Pop and 3B Rylan Bannon in exchange for SS Manny Machado on July 18, 2018…Originally selected by the Dodgers in the 14th round of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of UNLV.
LAST TIME OUT: Improved to 2-0 after allowing four runs on seven hits (2 HR) and one walk with five strikeouts in 5.2 innings on April 24 vs. Boston…Has won consecutive starts for the first time in his career…Threw 87 pitches, 55 strikes.
AGAINST DETROIT/AL CENTRAL: Making his first career start against the Tigers and sixth against the AL Central…Has gone 2-3 against the AL Central in his career with a 4.44 ERA (12 ER/24.1 IP)…In his last time out against the division on June 23, 2022 at Chicago-AL, earned the win after allowing seven hits with one walk, one hit batter, and four strikeouts in 5.2 scoreless innings… Threw 93 pitches, 60 strikes.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN: Has gone 1-0 with a 4.66 ERA (5 ER/9.2 IP) in two road starts this year…In 21 career road starts, has gone 6-8 with a 5.00 ERA (57 ER/102.2 IP)…Went 5-3 with a 3.63 ERA (25 ER/62.0 IP) in 11 road starts in 2022.
‘KREM’ OF THE CROP: Had his career-high scoreless streak snapped at 22.2 innings on July 4, 2022 vs. Texas…Marks the longest scoreless streak by an Orioles starter since Mike Mussina pitched 27.0 scoreless innings from September 21, 1995 to April 2, 1996…The last Orioles pitcher with a scoreless streak of at least 22.2 innings was Steve Johnson, who tossed 25.1 scoreless frames across eight games (three starts) from August 25 to September 29, 2012.
DETROIT TIGERS NOTES:
TIGERS-ORIOLES RAINED OUT ON FRIDAY, SPLIT DOUBLEHEADER ON TAP TODAY: The Tigers-Orioles game on Friday night was postponed due to inclement weather. The two teams will play a split doubleheader today with the first game starting at 12:10 p.m. and the second game beginning at 5:10 p.m.
ROSTER MOVE: The Tigers have made the following roster moves:
*Placed OF Kerry Carpenter on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to April 28, with a right shoulder sprain
*Named UTIL Zack Short as the 27th man for today’s doubleheader
*Selected INF Andy Ibáñez from Triple A Toledo
*To make room for Ibáñez on the 40-man roster, RHP Matt Manning was transferred to the 60- day injured list
LET’S PLAY TWO: The Tigers today will play their second doubleheader of the season. Detroit swept a twinbill from Cleveland on April 18. In 2022, the Tigers played nine twinbills, which was the third-most in the majors, behind Cleveland (11) and New York (NL) (10). The Tigers went
8-10 in doubleheader games last season.
STREAKING: Javier Báez enters today’s doubleheader on a 10-game hitting streak, the longest by a Tigers player this season. After starting the season 4×40 in his first 11 games of the season, Báez has gone 14×37 with four doubles and seven RBI during his current streak, which is the longest active streak in the big leagues.
E-ROD AGAINST THE O’S: Eduardo Rodriguez will look to continue his success against the Orioles this afternoon. Entering today’s game, Rodriguez has won his last 10 decisions against Baltimore, posting a 10-0 record with a 1.49 ERA over that stretch, which encompasses 14 games, including 12 starts. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Rodriguez’s streak is tied for the second longest current winning streak for one pitcher vs. one team, trailing only Clayton Kershaw, who has won his last 11 decisions against New York (NL).
HAASE BAT, WILL HIT: Eric Haase continued his solid performance at the plate on Thursday, reaching base four times, going 2×3 with two RBI and two walks. It marked the fifth time in his career and the second time this season (other, April 18 vs. Cleveland (Game 1)) that Haase has reached base four-or-more times in a game. Haase has hit safely in 10 of his last 14 games with at least one at-bat, slashing .357/.438/.429 with three doubles and two RBI.
ZACH ATTACK: Zach McKinstry went 2×3 with a walk on Thursday vs. Baltimore. McKinstry has recorded at least one hit in eight of his last 11
games, over which he is hitting .333/.394/.633 with three doubles, two home runs and four RBI.
TIGERS AND ORIOLES: The Tigers and Orioles continue their season series today. Baltimore has won the first four games this season. With last night’s win, the Orioles clinched the season series over the Tigers for the first time since 2016.
AT COMERICA PARK: The Tigers are 0-1 on their current seven-game homestand, which includes four games vs. Baltimore (0-1) and three games vs. New York (NL) (May 2-4). Detroit is 4-5 at home this season. As a team, the Tigers are hitting .240/.311/.356 at Comerica Park, while the pitching staff has a 4.98 ERA (85.0IP/47ER).
TIGERS ON THE IL:
• RHP Beau Brieske (right upper arm discomfort, 15-day IL on March 30, retroactive to March 27)
• OF Kerry Carpenter (right shoulder sprain, 10-day IL on April 29, retroactive to April 28)
• RHP Matt Manning (right foot fracture, 60-day IL on April 12)
• OF Austin Meadows (anxiety, 10-day IL on April 8, retroactive to April 7)
• RHP Casey Mize (right elbow sprain, 60-day IL on February 17)
• RHP Freddy Pacheco (right elbow sprain, 60-day IL on March 27)
• LHP Tarik Skubal (left elbow strain, 60-day IL on March 14)
• RHP Trey Wingenter (right biceps tendinitis, 15-day IL on April 22, retroactive to April 19)
TODAY’S GAME 1 TIGERS STARTING PITCHER – #57 Eduardo Rodriguez • 1-2, 2.32 ERA (31.0IP/8ER)
Rodriguez will make his sixth start of the series today in the first game of the doubleheader vs. Baltimore.
• Turned in his second consecutive scoreless start in his last time out on Sunday at Baltimore, throwing 7.0 shutout innings with one hit allowed, no walks and six strikeouts…carried a perfect game into the seventh inning until a two-out single by Ryan Mountcastle…according
to the Elias Sports Bureau, he became the first pitcher in Tigers history to have back-to-back starts of at least 7.0 shutout innings, no walks and six-or-more strikeouts and the first Major League pitcher to do so since Jacob deGrom from June 29-July 5, 2019…enters today’s game with 17.0 consecutive scoreless innings, the second-longest streak of his career (longest, 24.0 innings from June 29-September 1, 2018).
• Rodriguez has performed well in his career against the Orioles, posting a 13-5 record with a 2.79 ERA (132.1IP/41ER) and 135 strikeouts in 24 appearances, including 22 starts…his 13 victories against Baltimore leads all active pitchers, while his 2.79 ERA ranks fifth among actives (min. 50.0 IP)…in 13 career starts at Comerica Park, he is 6-4 with a 3.20 ERA (70.1IP/25ER) and 66 strikeouts.
• Since 2018, he has a .662 winning percentage, which ranks eighth among all active Major League pitchers over that span (min. 100 starts).
